The Illinois Traction System was established in the early 20th Century and consisted of about 550 miles of heavy railroad-grade interurban track extending from St. Louis, MO to Peoria and Springfield, IL. Promoted as 'The Road of Good Service', the ITS operated both extensive freight and passenger routes including one of the few interurban sleeping cars between Peoria and St. Louis. Stressing safety through the use of block signals and cleanliness with no soot, dirt, dust, or smoke, the ITS continued operations until the mid 1930s when, after bankruptcy, it was reorganized as the Illinois Terminal Railroad. The five cards below, circa 1910, are official railroad-issued postcards. For more information on the ITS, click Here.
In this 1928 advertisement appeared in "The Traffic World" magazine specializing in coverage of the trucking, rail, air, and ocean shipping industries. Image reference courtesy Wikimedia Commons.
In this 1928 advertisement appeared in "The Traffic World" magazine specializing in coverage of the trucking, rail, air, and ocean shipping industries. Image reference courtesy Wikimedia Commons.
At the time did the ITS have the largest electric-only network in the United States?
ReplyDeleteHello, Graham...
ReplyDeleteBefore the Illinois Traction Company became the Illinois Terminal Company, it was the largest interurban railroad in Illinois and was one of the largest in the country circa 1910. This was also the time when the Pacific Electric, serving the Los Angeles area alone, grew to over 1,000 miles.
Russ